What does this mean for your Admission Office? Simply put, it means there's a difference in the way you communicate with the parents now compared to the way you did a few years ago. Generation X parents are not just looking for different features in their children's schooling—they see the world differently from their parents.
Gen X parents, or "stealth-fighter parents," as the Washington Post has fondly nicknamed them, are not the same hovering type of parent as the Boomer. They are instead the type that will pick and choose when and where they will attack—and often without warning.
This is a generation of Web-savvy and completely Internet-reliant parents. They know how to monitor blogs and social media sites, send e-mails to Board members, trade advice and options online, and research teacher credentials. Their Web suaveness seems to grant them a wide array of expertise, too, including teaching expertise. No one's going to stop them from bringing a stack of Web printouts to their teacher conferences.
Gen Xers are flexible. They've mastered the ability to juggle schedules in order to attend their children's activities, both school and non-school related. This is a big difference from the Boomer generation, who seemed to have cared about the higher moral and civic goals of the education system. Gen Xers, however, seem to more interested in how the right school will create better opportunities for their children.
It's a different world through the eyes of Gen Xers. And, because they view the world as an individualistic place, they tend to believe they do best by looking out for themselves and their own interests. This affects their choice in school involvement, as they're more focused on their own child than the betterment of the institution. For example, Gen Xers tend to prefer being a class chaperon, which allows them to monitor their own children, rather than to volunteer for a curriculum committee.
This is also a generation concerned with their family's bottom line, and seem to be acutely sensitive to the price they pay versus the value they receive in return. Whereas Boomers might have bragged how much they paid for their child's education, a Gen Xer will brag about how little they paid. They may find fault in tuition changes, or increases to school tax. Gen Xers question everything—and they take it upon themselves to research everything they doubt. They're always looking for a discount or a shortcut.
Reports indicate Gen X parents expect schools to be run like customer-oriented businesses. They believe their children's education should be a fair and open transaction with complete and accurate information and unconstrained consumer choice. If the school doesn't offer the right value, they'll switch schools without a second thought. That could mean changing school districts, finding a charter school, a private institution, or even home schooling.
These parents are not concerned with arguing. They're more apt to find an easy path out of the situation, for example by finding a higher-ranking person to address their concerns, or by avoiding the confrontation altogether and jumping to a decisive action and suddenly filing a lawsuit. This is the most challenging aspect of this new generation of parent—sometimes you don't have the chance to communicate with them at all.
The first step to effectively communicating with Gen X parents is to know where they're coming from and who they are. Now that the major stereotypes have been addressed, in the next article we'll discuss some tips on how schools can adjust tactics to best suit Gen X parents.
Stay tuned for Part Two: How Schools Should Adjust to Gen X Parents …
